Air-brake



No. 608,599. Patented Aug. 9, |898.

F. L. GUILLEMET.

AIR BRAKE (Application med June 3, 1896.)

(No Model.)

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. N w l r @E M ww MM )ff/ Q @W m v f, .mw .n.m m Y f//f/f new and useful Improvement in Air-Brakes,- of which improvement the following is a speci-` NrrE `SrArEs ArtNr Errori,

FRANCOIS L. GUILLEMET, OE sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AssiGNoE 'ro rrnE wEsTINenousE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OE WILMEEDING,

PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIEXCATION ferming part ef Lettere retest Ne. 608,599, dated .August 9, 1898. Application-filed .Tune 3,- 1896t Serial No. 594,092. (No model.)

To all whom it' may concern:

United States,) residing at SanfFrancisco, in

the county of San Francisco and State of Cali-j fornia, have invented or discovered a certain fication.

The object of my invention is to provide' an improvement in automatic fluid-pressure brake apparatus; and to this end my invention consists in a new and improved meansl for effecting a local exhaust of fluid from the trainpipe of an automatic iluidpressure brake system, in the combination of such` means with a triple-valve device, and in cer,

tain combinations and features of construction, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an application of my improvement, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of ay quick-action triple-valve device constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig.2, aV

transverse section on the line a: of Fig.-1; Fig. 3, a view of the face of the main valve of the triple-valve device; Fig. 4, a similar view of the face of the graduating-valve of the triple-valve device; Fig. 5, a transverse section of the valvular stem which projects from the piston of the triple-valve device, the

section being taken on the line ,z c',- and Fig 6, a transverse section through the same steinl on the line 'y y. 1 The main casing 1 of the triple-valve device contains the piston-chamber 2 and the main-valve chamber 3, and a cap-section 45,@

The,

the passages 10 and 11, leading to the brakecylinder. An annular face on-the valve 9 is provided with a gasket 12, which bears on a seat 13, and the end of atubular extension 14C bears on a gasket 15, fitted in thecasing yon one side of the passage 10. A central hub 1G is connected to the tubular extension 14 by means of Webs 17, and a stem 1S is fitted to slide in the hub, the extent'of the sliding movement in one direction being limited by a shoulder 19, formed on the stem, and .in thc other direction by a nut 20, securedto the .end of the stem. The stem 18 extends through p around the stem and forms a packing for the joint around the stem to prevent the passage of `iluid through the opening in the `partition 21.

The triple-valve piston 2G normally uncovers afeed-passage27 in the bushing 28, through which fluid under pressure from the 'train-pipe is admitted to a passage 29, leading to the-auxiliary reservoir. Secured to 'the stem 30 of the triple-valve piston is a graduating slide-valve 31, whose stem 42 passes through the stem of the piston and -is acted on by a spring 33, which is secured tor the main valve 3d and tends to keep both valves to their seats on the bushing 32.

The main valve 34e is located between the graduating-valve 31 and the shoulder 35 on the stem ,30 and is of such length as to permit the necessary independent movement of the stem30 and graduating-valve`3l..

Thel mainfvalve chamber 3 communicates with the auxiliary reservoirthrough the pas' sages 36 and 37, and the passage 11, which leads 'pto the brake-cylinder, is normally in communication withv the atmosphere through the'passages 38 and 39,V which are connected by the cavity Ll() in the main valve when the main valve is in release position. l'

A stem al projects from the piston 2G into the passage S, in which is iitted a bushing 43, through which the stem lll moves as the piston 26 is moved back and forth. A portion of the stem 41 is provided with grooves 44, which permit a free passage of fluid between the piston-chamber 2 and the passage S When the piston 26 is in position to release the brakes or in position to make a service application of the brakes; but the length of these grooves is such that they are moved entirely into the passage 8 when the piston 26 is moved to the limit of its stroke to the left. A groove 45, which extends the Whole length of the stem 41, forms a limited passage for fluid from the train-pipe through the passage 8 to the lei'thand side of the piston 26 when the piston is at the limit of its stroke to the left.

In makin g service applications ofthe brakes a com paratively slight reduction of train-pipe pressure will permit the auxiliaryereservoir pressure en the right of the piston 26 to move the piston to the left until the stem 46 comes in contact with the stem 18 and the spring 23 is slightly compressed, when the resistance of the spring 23 will prevent further movement of the piston. By this movement of the piston the graduating-valve 3l is moved into contact with the main valve 34, the main valve is moved to the left, so as to cut off communication between the passages 38 and 39, and both the main and graduating valves are moved to the left of the passage 47,A

`when the resistance of the main valve will prevent further movement. The graduatingvalve 31 will then be in position to close the passage 47,'and the flow of fluid from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder will be cut off. A further slight reduction of trainpipe pressure will cause the piston to be again moved to the left, the graduating-valve 3V will again open the passage 47, and fluid from the auxiliary reservoir will again flow to the brake-cylinder. This may be repeated as often as desired or until the auxiliary-reservoir and brake cylinder pressures have equalized.

In service applications of the brakes the movement of the stem 1S is not great enough to bring the shoulder 19 into contact with the central hub on the emergency-valve 9, and the valve 9 remains on its seat, to Which it is held by train-pipe pressure.

When a great and rapid reduction of trainpipe pressure is made, such as is necessary to effect an emergency application of the brakes, the piston 26 is moved to the left until the inner ends of the grooves 44 in the stem 41 are Within the passage 8, and coinmunication between the passage 8 and the piston-chamber 2 is closed except through the comparatively small passage 45 in the stein 41. The main valve has then been moved far enough to the left to bring the cavity 50 into position to connect the port 51 inits seat With the passage 38, and iiuid under pressure Will be exhausted from the piston-chamber 2 and chamber 22 through the passage 52, port 51, cavity 50 in the main valve, and passages 3S and 11 tothe brake-cylinder. Since the capacity of these passages is greater than the capacity of the groove 45 in the stem 41, the pressure in piston-chamber 2 Will be quickly and greatly reduced, and the rapid movement of the piston 26 to the limit of its stroke to the left Will be insured. As the piston 26 moves to the left the stem 46 comes in contact With the stem 13 of the local ex haust-valve 9, the spring 23 is compressed7 and the shoulder 19 on the stem 13 comes in contact with the hub 16 of the valve 9 and unseats that valve. Fluid under pressure from the train-pipe then flows through the passage 7 and through the valve 9 into the passage 10 and, unseatingthe check-valve 53, flows through passage 1l to the brake-cylinder. At the same time fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir iiows through the passages 47 and 11 to the brake-cylinder and continues to 110W until the auxiliary-reservoir and brake-cylinder pressures are equalized.

If an ordinary check-valve is employed between the passages l0 and 11, the cheekvalve will close when the pressure in the brake-cylinder is nearly equal to that in the train-pipe and prevent any return fiow of fluid from the brake-cylinder to the trainpipe; but with the construction shown in the drawings a gradual return flow of fluid from the brake-cylinder to the train-pipe is permitted. The check-valve 53 is provided with an extension 54, which is closely tted in the bushing 55, and a small groove 56 in the extension 54 permits the passage of fluid except when the conical face of the valve 53 is on its seat. A small spring 57 surrounds the stem 5S of the check-valve and tends to hold it on its scat; but the action of this spring is resisted by a spring 59, which bears at one end on a nut 60 and at its other end on a loose collar or Washer 6l, which, as shown in the draWi11gs,rests on a fixed bearing. rlhe spring 59 tends to hold the valveA 53 from its seat When the collar is in contact With the fixed bearing, and fluid from the brake-cylinderis then permitted to flow gradually through the groove 56 and return to the traiirpipe. The resistance of the spring 59 is such that the valve 53 Will not be closed completely by the usual excess of equalized auxiliary-reservoir and brake-cylinder pressure over that in the train-pipe; but in case of a rupture in the train-pipe or the parting of the pipe-eouplin gs IOO IIO

ISO

reduction of pressure in the train-pipe as soon as the train-pipe is again partially recharged the spring 59 will unseat the checkvalve 53 and the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir and brake-cylinder will be permitted to return to the train-pipe until the uidpressure, acting on the piston 26, moves it to the right and the pressure of the spring 23 shifts the stem 18 and closes the valve 9.

It will be seen that while the spring 59 resists the complete closing of the valve 53 it has no effect on the opening or closing movement of the valve after the valve has been moved a certain distance from its seat. The collar 6l then bears on the shoulder 62 on the valve-stein, and so long as the collaris out of contact with the fixed bearing 63 it has no effect on the valve.

lVhen the triple-valve piston 26 has moved to the limit of its stroke to the left, the flanges or annular ridges 48 and 49 bear on the gasket 64, and the fiange or annular ridge 49 forms a tight joint with the gasket and cuts off communication between the train-pipe and 4the chamber 22,thereby preventing the return of Huid from the brake-cylinder to the train-pipe through the passages ll 3S 52, chambers 22 and 2, and passage 8.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, in a triple-valve device, of a piston exposed on its opposite sides to fluid under pressure, a valve operated by the piston for releasing fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder and controlling a passage, or passages, through which fluid under pressure is released from one side of the piston to effect an emergency application of the brakes, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a triple-valve device, of a piston, a valve operated by the piston for releasing fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder and controlling a passage, or passages, through which fluid under pressure is released from the train-pipe side of the piston to effect an emergency application of the brakes, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a triple-valve device, of a piston, a main valve operated thereby for releasing fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder, a local exhaust-valve operated by movement of the piston, and a passage, or passages, controlled by the main valve, and through which fluid under pressure is released from one side of the piston to effect opening movement of the local exhaust-valve, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a triple-valve de` vice, of a piston exposed on one side to trainpipe pressure, a valve operated by the pistonl for applying the brakes in service applications, means for limiting the capacity of the passage by which the piston-chamber communicates with the train-pipe, a passage, or passages, controlled by the valve for releasing fluid under pressure from the train-pipe side of the piston, and a local exhaust-valve operated by the piston to release fluid under pressure from the train-pipe, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a triple-valve device, of a piston, a valve operated thereby for releasing iiuid under pressurefrom the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder by a partial movement of the piston, and to release fluid under pressure from the train-pipe side of the piston by a further movement of the piston, and a local exhaust-valve operated by a final movement of the piston, substantially as set forth.

G. The combination, in an automatic fluidpressure brake apparatus, of a local exhaustvalve controlling the release of uid under pressure from the train-pipe to the brake-cylinder, a check-valve in the passage between the train-pipe and the brake-cylinder, and a spring adapted to hold the check-valve partially open, to permit a return flow of iiuid from the brake-cylinder to the train-pipe, and to permit the closing of the valve on an excessive reduction of pressure in the trainpipe, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in an automatic fluidpressure brake apparatus, of a local exhaustvalve for releasing fluid under pressure from the train-pipe to the brake-cylinder, a checkvalvein the passage between the train-pipe and the brake-cylinder, a spring tending to close the check-valve and a spring tending to hold the check-valve partially open, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

FRANCOIS L. GUILLEMET.

Witnesses:

Louis GELY, DsInii Pinnen.

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